Stormy Weather, Silver Lining
by You.Are.Me
Summary: Its a rainy day, which seems to have the entire host club on edge. No one seems sure of their feelings, but will some find love in this stormy weather? Kyoya/Kaoru, Kyoya/Tamaki, Hunny/Mori, and more!
1. Chapter 1

Who ends up with who? How will the others react? I dunno, I guess I'll just go with what the reviewers want. xD Enjoy this super strange story- I like how the perspective jumps around a lot, but let me know if that's actually just annoying.

~~~KHKHKH~~~

It was the kind of windy rain that left everyone agitated.

Window panes rattling from the wind until you had a headache.

Rain gusting underneath your umbrella and leaving you wet all day.

Soggy homework.

Squeaky shoes.

It left a cloud of frustration in every room so thick it buzzed in Kyoya's ears as he sat doing calculations in his black leather notebook. Club activities were finished for the day and the music room held only its hosts, all half chatting and half tidying and none too keen on heading out into the stormy weather. Kyoya crossed his legs and leaned back in his seat on the couch with a sigh, eyeing the numbers on his paper. Even the host club couldn't keep the clouds away, most girls finding the day too gloomy for hosting and thus only a few stopping by. This left Kyoya in a frustrating situation, having to pull from club savings in order to cover the day's expenses- a loss that left him moodier than usual.

"You're sighing up a storm over here, Kyoya, and we have enough of that outside you know~…"

He heard the teasing voice before he saw the Host King's grin in the corner of his glasses, the blonde leaning over the back of the couch to look at his counterpart. Kyoya rolled his eyes but before he could snap back a remark Tamaki was rubbing his shoulders and purring

"Don't be so tense, mommy, not in front of the children…"

The Shadow King was not about to admit how good the hands kneading his shoulders felt but Tamaki could feel Kyoya relaxing even as he commented

"This family act of yours is getting out of hand…"

Still, the dark haired man found that as he glanced around the room the 'children' _were_ eyeing him, though he suspected it was for a different reason. This past week there was a buzzing in the club room's air that had nothing to do with the bad weather- surely today the tension was most obvious but truly all week there had been an elephant in the room everyone seemed to be finding harder and harder to work around. Although no one had witnessed what occurred between Tamaki and Kyoya that day, somehow- in true family form- the entire host club seemed to be getting more and more aware of the secret mommy and daddy were hiding.

Tamaki certainly wasn't making it difficult, to say the least. All week he had been doing things like this- little gestures like massages or offering to help with Kyoya's work- that seemed to indicate the mommy/daddy act wasn't much of an act anymore. Each day the room seemed to be more and more tense, each member's gaze seemingly to silently demand an explanation that Kyoya just didn't have.

Though he would never admit it, Kyoya was at a loss of what to do. The hosts were tense and confused, but honestly the Shadow King was no better. Last week everything seemed normal until suddenly he and Tamaki had kissed each other. Since then, not a word had been said on the matter but Tamaki was slowly becoming more and more affectionate, which meant… What? Kyoya didn't know. Were things always this way and he just had never noticed? Had Tamaki forgotten about the kiss completely? Had it just been a freak accident- would it happen again? Kyoya was frustrated with himself for becoming so helpless, and for letting this go on so long. What was he waiting for? It was obvious something had to be done.

Kyoya closed his notebook and let himself enjoy the shoulder rub a moment more before shrugging the Host King's hands off.

"Tamaki…"

But before the Shadow King could continue, the back room opened up to reveal a dark haired teen in tight jeans and a colorful, frilled tank top. Feeling all eyes on her as she entered the girl's cheeks flushed pink, and she shyly tucked a short, brown strand of hair behind her ear.

"Is there a stain on me or something?"

"Haru-chan you look so cuuuuute~!"

Hunny exclaimed, looking equally cute as he clasped his hands together gleefully, his tall counterpart nodding in agreement.

"You're all dressed up!"

Kaoru grinned as he approached her to get a better look, not seeming to notice his brother was not falling but instead frozen in place as he looked at the girl, cheeks pink. But before Kaoru could reach his friend Tamaki thrust himself between them, grasping Haruhi's hand in his own and crying out

"Could it be my baby girl has finally cast down her tomboyish attitude and embraced the girly nature that lies dormant in her heart?"

Haruhi rolled her eyes, snatching back her hand from the overdramatic blonde.

"You know, it's really kind of depressing I get a reaction like this whenever I dress normally…"

Kaoru easily kicked the deflated Tamaki aside and approached Haruhi with a sneaky grin.

"So what's the occasion, huh?"

Haruhi shrugged.

"Who says there is one?"

But Kaoru knew better.

"So you just put on nice clothes to walk home in the rain with? Come on, Haruhi, you never change before you leave!"

The brunette was looking slightly grumpy for being figured out so easily, running a hand through her hair with a sigh.

"Well fine. Don't flip out or anything, but I'm going out to dinner tonight with Ritsu."

"_Basanova?"_

"_Kasanava?"_

"_Basonada?"_

Haruhi rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"It's Kasonada."

Hikaru and Tamaki were instantly in her face.

"Why would you be going on a date with that guy!"

The twin demanded. Tamaki shoved him aside to grasp the girl's attention- and her hand.

"Is my baby girl being forced by the mob to do this? I can save you, Haruhi, you don't have to be scared anymore!"

Haruhi pushed past the pair and started to grab her things, annoyed by the fuss they were making.

"We decided we haven't seen each other in a while and it would be nice to get together and talk. It's not even a date, so will you guys _lay off_?"

The girl shouldered her bag before being grabbed and held at arm's length by the Host King.

"Haruhi," he spoke sternly, "I forbid you from going on this date tonight. You are too young and cute to be dating!"

The girl shot Tamaki a dirty look that sent him straight to his knees, clutching his heart as if shot with her eyes.

"Stop talking to me like you're my dad!"

She stomped for the door, passing the twins as she went.

"Haruhi, wait-"

They called in unison but she could sense they had only more antics for her and did not stop.

"_Goodbye_, everyone!"

She pulled the door closed a little too hard on her exit and then the room was silent, but only for a moment before a certain blonde began climbing onto his counterpart's shoulders with a smile.

"I'm happy for Haru-chan~! We should go out to eat too, Takashi, it's a nice night for a date!"

"Yeah."

The man agreed shortly, grabbing both their bags and steadying the boy on his back. The comment (read: coming-out) went unnoticed, however, each host too lost in their own thoughts. Tamaki was still moping in the corner of the room, depressed for a lot of reasons- most of which were made up in his head. Hikaru and Kaoru seemed to be quietly discussing the situation, Hikaru's whispering more like hisses as he angrily accused Basa-whatever of guilt tripping sweet Haruhi into a date.

But perhaps most lost in thought was Kyoya, who had somehow missed the entire confrontation while sorting through his thoughts. His conversation with Tamaki had been interrupted but it wouldn't be long before he would have to confront the blonde on where their relationship stood- and where did he want it to stand? Shoulder rubs and gestures were nice, but this was still _Tamaki_- was Kyoya willing to commit himself to an idiot like Suoh and put his reputation on the line?

Suddenly, Tamaki seemed to recover. He stood and dusted himself off, turning back to face the room with the kind of careful smile that could only mean he was planning something. Mori and Hunny were waving their goodbyes and on their way out, and the twins now seemed to be only half conversing as they watched their host king carefully. The blonde approached Kyoya but the teen was turned away, packing his school bag up for the day and wrestling to make sense of thoughts he would rather be pushing away.

"Kyoya!"

The dark haired teen was startled as the subject of his thoughts was suddenly behind him, spinning around but keeping his usual indifference as he spoke.

"Yes?"

Tamaki flashed a smile which seemed only to agitate the knots in Kyoya's stomach that had been forming all week.

"How about we go out to dinner tonight- together?"

The normally cool Kyoya could feel panic rising in his heart- was this really happening? So suddenly? In front of the twins? On the outside Kyoya was working to keep his composure but it would be only moments before Tamaki would realize that the Great Shadow King was at a loss for words- after all, what was there to say in a situation like this!

Tamaki continued gleefully

"Between your surveillance skills and my Haruhi skills, tracking her date with Basanoda will be cake!"

Now Kyoya _really _couldn't believe what he was hearing. Tamaki was talking about stalking _Haruhi_? That was the last straw- the frustration of the weather and the tension in the room had finally gotten to him. Kyoya couldn't help but feel ashamed at how long he had let this little game go on- it was obvious Tamaki was just playing with his feelings, and he had been stupid enough to be running around all week like a teenage girl, insides doing flips for an _idiot_ like Tamaki! He really couldn't believe it. Had that kiss really just been his imagination? Or was Tamaki _this _stupid!

"Tamaki, you're a real idiot."

The Shadow King said coldly, one of his icy glares sending the blonde flying back.

"What did I do, mommy!"

The Host King cried desperately, seeming to truly not understand why he was being punished.

"Don't 'mommy' me."

Kyoya rolled his eyes, turning away from the jerk at his feet to continue gathering his things. Tamaki hopped up, poised to pursue this sudden bitterness from Kyoya before being interrupted.

"I'll go with you, boss!"

Hikaru placed himself between Kyoya and Tamaki- the latter looking surprised as the twin continued

"I'll help you spy on Haruhi's date! That way we can beat up Kasanava if anything goes wrong!"

Tamaki was already over his confrontation with the Shadow King and all fired up again.

"Yeah, it's our duty as fellow hosts to protect Haruhi at all costs! Come on, we can take my car!"

The pair hastily grabbed their bags and ran off together, already discussing ways they could track the host club princess without her discovering them. Kaoru watched them go silently, more upset by the situation than he would ever let on. He didn't know when it had happened, but suddenly it seemed as if all the host members had moved on without him.

He thought he and Haruhi were friends, yet she didn't care to mention she had a date tonight? He and Hunny had always been close, so when was the little blonde going to tell him he and Mori were more than just buddies? And Hikaru- they acted like they were inseparable, yet there he was running off with Tamaki without so much as asking his brother! And for what?

Haruhi, of course. Hikaru had been making it more and more clear lately that he had a thing for Haruhi- and Kaoru wanted to support his brother, of course, but he was starting to get the impression that it wasn't a two way street- Hikaru never seemed interested in helping his brother break out of their tiny world; he never asked about Kaoru's interests, or who he was interested in… and there w_as _someone.

Suddenly, Kaoru could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand straight up. The slight scent of cologne signaled that _he _was very close. Kaoru spun around.

"I would like to lock up the clubroom, Kaoru- aren't you leaving?"

His voice was bored, his eyes not sparing the younger teen their time and instead fixed on the roll of keys he was shuffling through to locate the one he needed. Kaoru could feel his heart pounding violently as he was assaulted with thoughts- alone in a room with Kyoya- standing this close to Kyoya- being addressed by name by _Kyoya-! _Kaoru gulped, grasping desperately for composure. When had this Kyoya thing started?

At first it was little things: the smell of his cologne, the richness of his voice, the coolness in his expression no matter what the situation. Kaoru found himself noticing more and more how charming Kyoya was the more time they spent together, and soon he found himself dancing constantly between wanting to see the Shadow King and needing to look away before his heart gave out. How was he the only one who saw Kyoya this way? Couldn't everyone see how incredibly _cool _he was?

This crush seemed to peak that week, though, when Tamaki suddenly seemed to be taking an interest in Kyoya too. While before he was just content with watching the Shadow King from afar, Kaoru now found himself picturing what it would be like to be in Tamaki's shoes- the pet names, the shoulder rubs, the sweet little gestures… Kaoru wanted to be that close with Kyoya, too!

But maybe he could be.

Suddenly, ideas seemed to be clicking into place in Kaoru's head. Sure, Kyoya and Tamaki s_eemed _like a couple- but Kaoru had seen what had just happened when Tamaki asked Kyoya out. It _wasn't _a date, and although Kyoya seemed disappointed at that fact it had left Kaoru with a golden opportunity. Kyoya was free. Kaoru, for once, was also free from his brother. They were alone. This was perfect.

"Oh yeah, sorry."

Kaoru laughed sheepishly, picking up his bag and flashing Kyoya a smile. His head was spinning- was he really going to go through with this?- but there was no turning back when he was this close.

"I guess I just don't really know where to go from here."

Kyoya, who had already dismissed Kaoru and was heading for the door, glanced over his shoulder to give back the twin some of his attention.

"Hm?"

Kaoru worked hard to keep smiling and shrug lightly, not wanting his words to seem too planned.

"Everyone's out tonight, you know?"

His reply was more grumpy than usual.

"Hm, I suppose so…"

Kaoru's heart was panicking as Kyoya seemed to be completely ignoring the hints he was dropping- were they too subtle, or was he being rejected? Finally, the twin mustered all his courage and went out on a limb.

"Since everyone else is, why don't we go out too? We could get some food together."

Although Kaoru felt braver now than ever before, for Kyoya on the receiving end the twin seemed oddly sheepish- his cheeks were pink and he was only peeking up at the older teen, with a shy smile. His invitation hung in the air as the dark haired teen contemplated it. After being thoroughly kicked around by Tamaki like an idiot, it was true that going straight home would only yield an evening of moping on Kyoya's part as he would have nothing better to do than think about all the antics his terrible friends were getting into. Still though, the situation was strange- a twin without its match, asking him of all people to get dinner? He wasn't sure if they would even have enough to talk about to warrant a good time. Still though, it seemed the better option.

"I suppose it's only fair."

The teen finally shrugged, receiving an excited smile from the younger. Kaoru felt like he might faint- a date with the Shadow King? What had he gotten himself into!

"We can take my car."

Kyoya offered, holding the door for Kaoru who seemed oddly dazed before locking the entrance behind them both. Quickly trying to act natural, Kaoru flashed a much more in-character grin.

"Okay, but I get to choose where we eat!"

Kyoya rolled his eyes but was really only amused as he headed down the hallway with the younger of the Hitachin twins- this evening seemed to be spiraling fast, but with so many ups and downs the Shadow King really wasn't sure if it was for the better or not. Only time could tell.

~~~KHKHKH~~~

Well, there you have it! Not sure if I want to continue this, but there _are_ a few unanswered questions…

Does Kyoya realize this is a date? How will a date with Kaoru and Kyoya go? How will Tamaki and Hikaru react when they discover how Kyoya and Kaoru spent the evening? Who will end up together in the end?

I dunno. If you wanna hear more, let me know in the reviews and I'll make it happen somehow.


	2. Chapter 2

I have never worked so hard on a chapter before. Its 5:30 am and I haven't gone to bed yet, people! Well, I hope you enjoy this beautiful date night between Kyoya and Kaoru- consider it a calm before the storm…~

~KKHMKKHM~

"Your salad will be out shortly."

The waitress reassured the pair with a smile before tucking her notepad back into her apron and turning to continue on serving other tables. Kaoru felt his stomach clenching as he watched the chipper girl go, wishing she would come back and give some of that confidence to him- how could she not see this was the most anxious moment of his life!

With their orders placed there could be no more hiding behind menus or contemplative silence while the pair perused their dinner options; Kaoru knew as he watched their waitress disappear into the kitchen that this date was really starting now, and it felt like a spotlight was suddenly beaming down on him. This all felt so surreal… Kaoru had imagined the moment a million times but now he was here and it felt like he still might be daydreaming.

During the car ride things had been quiet, and it felt as if the closer they got to their destination the less confident Kaoru felt. What was he doing, honestly? He could barely talk to Kyoya without getting nervous, so what had made him think spending the entire evening together would be a good idea? He had no idea what he was doing, no matter how convincing he was when he had set Hikaru and Haruhi up together on a date.

Hikaru…

Kaoru was so unsure without him…

No! This was a dream come true, and Kaoru wasn't going to waste it missing his brother! Slowly the twin raised his eyes from the white table cloth to peek across the table at his dinner companion. Kyoya had been quiet even for his standards, and it made Kaoru wonder if the Host King was still on his mind as he seemed to gaze thoughtfully down into his ice water.

Kaoru pursed his lips. What was going on between those two? The pair had been acting strange all week, but Kyoya especially. '_Tamaki, you idiot._' The dark haired teen said it all the time, but this time had seemed different; Kaoru suspected Tamaki might have actually hurt the mighty Shadow King's feelings, no matter how hard the teen worked to deny he had any. Well, if that was the case then this was perfect- by being a good friend to Kyoya and taking his mind off Tamaki, Kaoru would get closer to the Shadow King for sure.

"So what do you think of this restaurant, sempai? I guess it counts as a commoner's place, technically, but this is what they would consider fancy dining so I guess it isn't that different, right?"

Kyoya seemed somewhat startled by the twin's words, snapped from his thoughts as he lifted his eyes from his glass. The restaurant? Kyoya peered around. The room was softly lit with low-hanging light fixtures over each small, round table which- paired with the small crowd- seemed to convey a feeling of privacy to diners, each table set well apart. Everything was pretty stereotypical: white table clothes, well-dressed wait-staff, soft classical playing in the background… Yet somehow, it was pleasant enough. Finally Kyoya let his eyes rest on the twin before him, who's honey brown eyes seem to sparkle with expectancy as he awaited the upperclassman's answer.

"It's nice," Kyoya allowed, seeing how relieved Kaoru was to have chosen well. "Much nicer than any of the other commoner eateries I've been dragged to…"

The younger seemed surprised.

"You eat out at commoner places often?"

Kyoya adjusted his glasses, explaining

"Only when forced to by that idiot Tamaki, or sometimes my sister… Although Fuyumi and you have more similar taste, I'm surprised she hasn't brought me here before."

Now the twin was very surprised.

"You have a _sister_?"

Kyoya raised a brow as he took in the underclassman's shocked expression.

"Have I not mentioned her before? You must not have been paying attention…"

Kaoru fought a blush as he was chided by Kyoya, not about to let the subject go so easily.

"Well I knew about your brothers, but not about- Fuyumi, was it? But that's cute, Kyoya!"

Kaoru winked, grinning as he spoke and feeling much more himself again. Kyoya merely rolled his eyes back down to stare at his glass, mumbling

"I don't see how…"

This whole thing felt kind of strange, but Kyoya couldn't put his finger on it. This was the first time he had done anything with Kaoru- before today, he wasn't entirely sure that the twins were capable of splitting up for so long! But yet here he was, out to dinner alone with one of the Hitachiin menaces. Except… Kaoru wasn't much of a menace at all. He had picked a lovely restaurant… he was making pleasant conversation… Kyoya wasn't sure whether he had always had the wrong impression about the younger twin, or whether he was just putting on a charade.

Something about the twin _did _seem different- was it the way his eyes were following Kyoya, or how his cheeks seemed to be constantly on the verge of a blush? But without his much more telling twin around, Kyoya knew Kaoru was going to be more difficult to interoperate than it was worth. Something was off but nothing was bad, and although it felt strange to be 'hanging out' with a Hitachiin Kyoya had to admit- at least to himself- that it actually was pretty nice company, especially at a time when a distraction from Tamaki seemed so refreshing.

As their first course was placed before them Kyoya could feel those honey eyes on him; he could feel it was his turn to make conversation, but somehow the Shadow King seemed at a loss of how to go about it. What was there to talk about with Kaoru? Overall the boy was pretty quiet without his twin- a surprising observation in itself. Finally Kyoya decided to just pretend he was hosting, although it was a somewhat strange notion that he was hosting one of the hosts.

"So, Kaoru…" Kyoya leaned forward slightly so as to better eye the twin before him, beginning to feel his act take over as he commented coolly "It is interesting to have you alone like this; it isn't often that a Hitachiin twin is seen without its match…"

Kaoru gulped, seeing a shift in Kyoya as he commandeered the conversation. He was leaned forward enough that the twin could really see the teen's dark eyes, which seemed to be giving him more attention than ever before.

"I guess for Hikaru keeping an eye on Haruhi was more important tonight than keeping an eye on me."

The auburn haired teen offered a sheepish grin, but could see he had said the wrong thing by bringing up the other date happening tonight. Those grey eyes left him to stare out the window instead, as if somehow they could see miles away to where Haruhi was undoubtedly being harassed… as if they could see Tamaki…

But Kaoru wasn't going to lose Kyoya's attention so easily. He was a host, after all, and drawing people in was what he did best!

"That's why I'm glad you took me out tonight, sempai- otherwise I would have been lonely…~"

Kaoru peeked up at the dark haired teen through his long lashes, offering his signature shy smile. Kyoya eyed the boy before him carefully, never having seen his charm directed at anyone else besides his brother. Did he realize how perfect his smile was, or the way he was looking at Kyoya? It was work to look away from the sight but Kyoya had to keep his cool, leaning back in his chair casually.

"While I'd like to point out that this was entirely your idea, I will admit I probably would have asked anyway: after all, how would it reflect on me, to leave a fellow host alone?"

Kaoru pursed his lips in a pout.

"So it's not just for my company?"

_Cute._

He was thinking it before he could stop himself. Kyoya had never gotten this kind of attention from Kaoru before but suddenly it seemed he was being assaulted with stunning smiles and pouty lips and blushing cheeks and… and it was all so cute! Or at least attractive… Wait, what was he _thinking_!

"Excuse me a moment."

Kyoya stood, suddenly needing a moment to clear his thoughts. Kaoru was unsure what this could mean but it seemed that he had flustered the great Shadow King, which meant his new tactic was definitely working- much to his delight. Kyoya worked his way carefully between tables and across to the restroom, letting out a breath of relief when he was finally safe behind the swinging door that read 'Men'. Kyoya was even more relieved to find that he had the room to himself and easily clicked across the tile to place himself in front of a sink. He took a moment to run cold water over his hands, trying to sort his thoughts as he did. What was going on, here?

All of a sudden, it was as if Kaoru and Tamaki were playing the same game. Had some sort of bet been made? Why were they both acting so… Or was this all in Kyoya's head? Maybe he was just some sort of pervert to be seeing Kaoru that way. Perhaps all the pouting and cuteness was his personality- well, it _was_… But this seemed different. Suddenly, the twin seemed to have caught his attention, in a major way. He was nice company: polite but not stiff, quiet but not awkward, funny but not obnoxious… But there was more, too: those round, golden eyes, for one thing… They had been watching him all night, and Kyoya was beginning to suspect he knew why.

"You've been getting a lot of attention lately, huh Kyo-chan?"

Kyoya snapped his head up to find a certain little blonde beside him, his smile seeming more sympathetic than usual. The dark haired teen furrowed his brow down at the little host.

"Don't tell me you're a spy, too?"

Hunny laughed cheerfully.

"No silly, Takashi and I were here even before you were!"

Kyoya eyed the blonde, still not entirely convinced, but couldn't pursue the topic more before Hunny continued

"I'm so happy to see that Kyo-chan found some company! Being left behind by Tama-chan must have been no fun at all…"

Kyoya leaned back against the sink, grumbling

"Hmph, I don't know what you mean…"

But Hunny let his grin become a more sincere smile, as he spoke earnestly

"Being led on can really hurt, Kyo-chan. And ignorance is no excuse when it comes to someone's feelings!"

The blonde nodded definitively but Kyoya sighed, not seeing his elder's point.

"What are you saying, Mitskuni…"

But Hunny only shrugged, knowing that his advice would be remembered if it was needed.

"Takashi and I are gonna go get ice cream after dinner- I wonder how the night will end for you and Kao-chan~!"

"Certainly not with ice cream."

Kyoya turned back to look at himself in the mirror. This sudden appearance from Hunny was strange, to say the least, but also oddly reassuring. The little blonde was always so care free… and it wasn't like Hunny had converted him to the cake-eating lifestyle or anything but the Shadow King could definitely see the benefit in just relaxing a little. He was mad at Tamaki for not giving him adequate attention, so why not enjoy the fact that he was finally getting what he wanted- albeit from Kaoru. The twin was even better company than Tamaki, so perhaps things were taking a turn for the better anyway.

Kyoya didn't have an answer to Hunny's question, but he decided that he wasn't going to worry himself about it either. The Shadow King hadn't planned any of what had happened so far and things had been nice, so why start planning now? It was different for him, but it was nice- perhaps the Hitachiin spontaneity was rubbing off on him.

When Kyoya returned to the table it was with confidence and composure that could only come from the advice of a sempai, and on taking in Kaoru's smile the dark haired teen could guess that the twin had gotten some encouragement as well- most likely from Hunny's attentive counterpart. With new found poise Kyoya didn't have to work to keep conversation and the rest of the meal went smoothly, both hosts less wary of the butterflies in their stomach.

It wasn't until the car ride home that hesitation began to creep back into the pair. By now it was dark, the rain having finally stopped but still leaving puddles to splash up onto the car windows periodically as they went, the sound being one of the only noises which pierced the growing silence between them. Kyoya was gazing out his tinted window, thoughts of Tamaki beginning to surface again. Where was the dumb blonde now, and what was he up to? Was the moment ever going to come when he realized he had left Kyoya out to dry? Perhaps Kyoya had overreacted- Tamaki had been nice to him all week, so getting worked up over one little mishap was pretty melodramatic… Maybe the Host King deserved a second chance.

But then there was Kaoru, now, too… Kyoya turned his head to glance over at the auburn haired teen beside him, who was slumped in the seat sleepily as he gazed out his own window. Kyoya was amused at the sight. It was beginning to become clear that the younger twin was crushing on Kyoya, and the dark haired teen wasn't really bothered at this realization as much as flattered. Especially after this evening together; before now, Kyoya hadn't noticed Kaoru much or how great he was. The young twin was really cute, he gave him plenty of attention, and he was better company than the Host King- so why was Kyoya bothering with Tamaki at all? The more Kyoya thought on it, the more he began to feel stuck in the middle. After all, it might hurt Kaoru's feelings if Kyoya tried to work things out with Tamaki, or if he found out about the kiss… but, depending on how Tamaki feels it might hurt him to see Kyoya with Kaoru like this. But Kyoya didn't r_eally_ know how anyone felt!

Suddenly, Hunny's words from their conversation in the restroom came back to him.

"_Being led on can really hurt, Kyo-chan. And ignorance is no excuse when it comes to someone's feelings!"_

Kyoya knew his sempai was right; the only reason he didn't know how Kaoru's feelings was because he hadn't asked, so it was his own fault. And Kyoya didn't want to lead on the twin the way he had been all week! As the car pulled into the Hitachiin estate and started up the driveway Kyoya knew he had to act hastily, no matter how nervous he was.

"Home sweet home~"

The twin sing-songed sleepily, flashing a grin over at the older teen.

"I hope I didn't keep you too late…"

Kyoya hummed, stalling, but Kaoru wagged a finger.

"Hey, these were _my_ plans, remember?"

The car came to a stop and the dark haired teen could tell he only had a moment, hastily calling for the younger's attention.

"Kaoru?"

Those wide, golden eyes blinked over at him and with as much cool composure as he could muster Kyoya asked

"Was this supposed to be a date?"

Kaoru blushed, suddenly feeling embarrassed. It isn't much of a date if he has to ask in the end, is it? The twin wondered shamefully if Kyoya thought him sneaky- like he had tricked him into the date or something. Well, maybe he had. Was the Shadow King going to hate him if he said yes? Finally the younger twin answered truthfully

"Well…yeah."

For some reason, Kyoya was extremely satisfied by the answer. He could tell from his reaction that Kaoru had intended this to be a date all along though he was embarrassed now to admit it, but Kyoya was just thrilled to get such a straight answer on the matter. Tamaki certainly never would spare that luxury. Suddenly though, Kyoya felt pressure. Now that this was a date he felt there were rules he had to play by- many of which he had probably broken out of ignorance, much to his dismay. If Kaoru had said sooner Kyoya would have played along- he wasn't a monster, after all, and he liked Kaoru enough to give him a nice evening… Certainly for such an honest answer Kaoru deserved a good date.

"I thought as much."

Kyoya conceded simply, before leaning forward and pressing his lips to the younger teen's. It was chaste but not a peck and Kaoru was blown away, eyes wide and cheeks burning when Kyoya pulled away.

"What was _that_-!"

He exclaimed- but Kyoya seemed taken aback by his reaction.

"Is it not proper etiquette to give a goodnight kiss on a date?"

Kaoru's head was spinning.

"Well- _yeah, _but-"

"Well goodnight, then, Kaoru."

Kyoya's tone was simple but also somewhat softer than his usual detached attitude, and he watched the twin with masked amusement. He wasn't quite sure why he had done what he had done, but he certainly didn't regret it- after all the tension this week it felt good to finally act on how he was feeling, and get results. He _liked _getting Kaoru flustered, though that was something else he couldn't fully interoperate right now either. This night had been one of spontaneity, and though he wasn't sure if that was a good thing for now it was just going to be a thing he would deal with later.

Kaoru was flustered beyond belief and finally decided to just take Kyoya's goodnight as his dismissal, needing time to sort out his spinning thoughts. With a shaky goodnight Kaoru got out of the car and headed into his mansion, feeling those grey eyes watching him until there was a door between them. He had never dreamed of getting those eye's attention and now after tonight he had them plus more, his heart racing out of control as he gingerly brushed his fingertips across his lips. He had just gone on a date with the Shadow King, complete with a kiss goodnight- it made Kaoru wary of going to sleep, afraid he might wake up in the morning and think it was all a dream.

~KKTKKTKKT~

Kyoya is a sex bomb.

Please review. :p


	3. Chapter 3

So I wrote this monster at 5 in the morning then went to sleep and forgot about it. Also, it was a total mess, since I had written it at freakin 5 am… But now, finally, here it is! More complications for Kyoya, but also some cute times with Tamaki and Kaoru! Enjoy~!

~KTKTKTKT~

Kyoya wasn't one to dream, so when he heard that familiar voice he knew something was up.

"Kyoya~!"

It was loud.

"Kyoooooya~!"

It was right in his face.

"Kyoya, time to get up!"

And now it was paired with a body, jumping on him. Kyoya creaked one eye open to see that there was indeed an intruder in his room- a beaming, blonde intruder sitting right on top of him.

"Tamaki…" The dark haired teen growled, glaring coldly up at his friend, "_get out_…"

But the blonde just laughed, standing up to drag the blankets off of his friend.

"Stop being such a drama queen, Kyoya! Its time you got up!"

Kyoya let out another deep growl, pulling the blankets back up and over his head. Why did Tamaki always have to be such an idiot? If Kyoya wanted to sleep in for once, he should be allowed… Still though, Kyoya had instructed the maids a long time ago never to let Tamaki through so early in the morning, so if he was here it must be late…

"Not coming, huh? Well then, I'll just have to TICKLE YOU!"

Kyoya could hear Tamaki laughing and suddenly he was being assaulted by prying fingers but- not being a ticklish person- he found them more annoying than anything else. The Shadow King knew the Host King wasn't going to leave him alone anytime soon so with a sigh he sat up, pulling the blankets back.

"Just stop, you idiot…"

He chided, nudging off Tamaki's ineffective tickling before standing to retrieve his glasses and replace them on his face. Tamaki, ever unaffected by Kyoya's insults, pointed a finger at his friend and laughed.

"You're being pretty indecent in front of your guest, you know!"

Kyoya simply rolled his eyes, beginning to pull on jeans over his boxers.

"You can't blame me when I was given no warning for your visit…"

Tamaki snickered again, making himself comfortable on the bed as he watched his friend.

"Its noon, Kyoya! It's a good thing I came when I did, or you would have slept the whole day away!"

Kyoya sent his friend another glare as he pulled a shirt over his wife beater, grumbling

"I don't see anything wrong with that…"

Tamaki stood again as his friend finished dressing, crossing his arms.

"But even so, you must be starving. You slept through breakfast, so you haven't eaten since dinner yesterday!"

Kyoya froze. Suddenly, it was all flooding back to him. Dinner yesterday had been no dinner. It had been a date with Kaoru- that had ended with a kiss! For some reason, he felt somewhat guilty facing Tamaki now, knowing he had kissed someone else. How would Tamaki react if he knew? Or did he already know? Kyoya eyed his friend, suddenly unsure of himself; the blonde seemed not to notice, however, suggesting

"Let's have lunch in your yard! I brought Antoinette over because I wanted to show you a trick she learned. Wouldn't it be fun to have a picnic, like the commoners do?"

Tamaki was his usual babbling self, which relieved Kyoya. The Host King didn't seem to know how Kyoya had spent the previous evening, but how long would it be before he found out? Suddenly the dark haired teen felt pride swell up in him. Why did he care if Tamaki knew about their date? The reason he had gone in the first place was because Tamaki seemed to be messing him… Kyoya was not one to be pushed around, and he wasn't going to start now with this idiot!

Kaoru acted on his feelings instead of leaving the situation in a state of confusion, unlike Tamaki, and Kyoya wasn't going to act ashamed of that. Still though, now didn't seem like a good time to bring up the subject- but it would come. It didn't seem like Tamaki was leaving anytime soon.

"So you've invited yourself and your dog over for lunch?"

Kyoya raised a brow at the blonde, who seemed to hang his head in mock shame before the dark haired teen rolled his eyes.

"At least you brought Antoinette- she's better company than you are. Come on…"

Tamaki cheered as Kyoya led him out of the room and downstairs, heading outside onto the patio. Upon stepping outside, the dark haired teen found that the Host King had already instructed the maids to set food up outside in the style of a picnic, apparently having anticipated Kyoya would agree to come. Antoinette sat in the grass near the food, sniffing it suspiciously, but when the golden retriever saw her master she leapt up to sprint over.

Tamaki laughed as his puppy tackled him to the ground, rolling around and letting her lick his face. Kyoya watched the pair with a small smile, thinking Antoinette had always seemed perfect for Tamaki- just as energetic and cheerful as him although probably also smarter. Finally Tamaki wiggled free from the golden beast, breathless from laughing as he stood and called the dog to attention.

"Watch this, Kyoya- we've been practicing for weeks!"

Tamaki beamed back at his friend who couldn't help but offer a small smile back before watching the blonde as he held a hand over the dog's head and commanded

"Alright, Antoinette- roll over!"

The dog peered up at its owner with perfect attention, but did not budge.

"Roll over, Antoinette!"

The golden retriever tilted its head in puzzlement, seemingly confused by the command.

"What? I swear she's done it!" Tamaki appealed over his shoulder to his friend before turning back to plead with the dog "Roll over!"

But the dog seemed to be missing the cue, panting happily as she looked up at her master and licking his outstretched hand a few times. Tamaki hung his head a moment before grinning at his friend.

"Well, it must be cause _you're_ watching- she's only used to doing it for maids and stuff, you see?"

Kyoya chuckled lightly at Tamaki's excuse, passing him by to take a seat on the blanket.

"Hey, don't blame _me_ for this… Now come on, I'm starved."

Tamaki huffed before joining Kyoya on the blanket, Antoinette crossing over to sit beside the Shadow King, peering at him curiously. Kyoya pet the dog contentedly, rubbing her soft ears. Antoinette was nice and he had never minded having her around, although the teen had never been much of a pet lover. Growing up he had wanted a dog but his father had refused, and now that he was older Kyoya didn't mind; dogs were too messy and too much work for him. But visiting with Tamaki's dog was still nice.

"Ham and cheese is your favorite, right?"

Kyoya came back to reality to find Tamaki handing him a sandwich on a plate made of paper. The dark haired teen blinked, taking the plate from Tamaki and looking at him suspiciously. The blonde raised his eyebrows.

"What, it is, isn't it? On commoner picnics you have sandwiches on paper plates, so I had the maids make us ham and cheese!"

Kyoya was beginning to wonder if Tamaki _did _know about the date. Everything he was doing just seemed a little too perfect… He had waited until noon to wake him, and he had brought Antoinette because he knew Kyoya liked her… Now suddenly he knew Kyoya's favorite foods and was having it made for their lunch… Was this some attempt to get Kyoya's attention back?

Kyoya asked somewhat suspiciously

"Tamaki, why did you come by today…?"

The blonde seemed surprised by the question, looking up from his food.

"What do you mean? We didn't end up getting together last night so I figured we could hang out today… Plus I wanted to show you Antoinette's trick!"

Kyoya eyed the blonde, able to see he was being sincere. Perhaps Kyoya was being overly paranoid- wanting to see him and knowing his favorite foods wasn't being suspicious, it was being… sweet. For a moment Kyoya was flattered as he ate, before wanting to sigh. So it was back to square one? Tamaki was still acting flirty towards Kyoya though he didn't seem to be actually interested… Kyoya was feeling awkward all over again, with the kiss Tamaki seemed to have forgotten about and now the one he didn't know about hanging over the Shadow King's head… If Kaoru had come and done this today, Kyoya would have known it was flirting. But with Tamaki, everything seemed less definite…

"Is something on your mind, mommy?"

His sweeter tone made Kyoya look up from his thoughts to find those violet eyes watching him curiously, the blonde seeming more attentive than usual. Kyoya had always admired Tamaki's eyes and now felt his stomach tighten a little at their sudden attention, unsure what to say. Could Tamaki really tell there was something wrong? Perhaps the blonde was giving him more attention than he thought.

"You don't have to call me 'mommy' outside school, you know…"

Kyoya finally grumbled, although admittedly he was beginning to find the stupid nickname kind of endearing…

Tamaki grinned, those eyes never leaving his friend.

"I don't have to call you 'mommy' _in _school either, but I do anyway! Now if only you would do it back~"

Even though he was joking Tamaki was acting more sincere than usual, and Kyoya decided to act more like his true self as well, smirking back at the blonde

"But you would enjoy it way too much…"

Tamaki feigned hurt, peeking up at his friend.

"Don't you consider the Host Club your family?"

But Kyoya had known those puppy-eyes too long to be so easily affected.

"Even so, I wouldn't consider myself the _mother_…"

Tamaki chuckled, flashing a smile up at the Shadow King.

"But the point is that we're the mommy and daddy!"

Suddenly Tamaki's attitude shifted, taking the offensive. He leaned closer to his counterpart, adding slowly

"We run the club- together…"

Kyoya froze as Tamaki drew closer, sensing what was about to happen if he didn't pull back fast. As much as he wanted to go with the atmosphere, enjoying this other side of Tamaki, he knew that he had already fallen for this once and it had only caused him trouble. The teen straightened, working to keep his voice steady as he warned

"Tamaki…"

The blonde blinked back at him in confusion, seemingly surprised Kyoya had drawn the encounter to a halt. Kyoya could feel his throat was tight but knew that before he let things go any farther with Tamaki they should talk things out- especially now that there was someone else in the mix… Kissing Kaoru had been different, so much easier and less complicated… He didn't want that to change.

Suddenly Antoinette was barking happily, tearing Tamaki and Kyoya away from their moment to find that someone was approaching the blanket. Kyoya had to blink twice to confirm who he was seeing, and then double-check to make sure he wasn't seeing their double. Kaoru looked a little nervous as he crossed the grass over to the pair, unsure if he was interrupting and unsure if he felt bad about it.

"Hi guys!"

He offered simply, flashing a sheepish smile. Kyoya admired the sweet expression, but Tamaki could only accuse from his seat on the blanket

"Hey, I don't remember sending out invites for this picnic!"

He pointed a condemning finger at the twin, who- unfazed- pulled a folded paper from his pocket and feigned surprise.

"Really? Cause I got one…"

"What!" Tamaki jumped up, going for the paper. "Lemme see that!"

Kaoru chuckled, tossing the paper away to disappear into the grass. Tamaki leapt for it and the twin took this opportunity while the Host King searched to sit down on the blanket with Kyoya, greeting somewhat shyly again

"Hello, sempai…"

Kyoya peered at Kaoru carefully, wondering if his brain would explode if these two stood next to each other too long but just trying to keep his cool air about him.

"Hello Kaoru. Is there something you need?"

Kaoru blushed slightly at the question, flattered by the attention from his sempai, however miniscule. He could feel Kyoya eyeing him and although it made him feel shy he also felt thrilled, this being a confirmation that last night really wasn't just some kind of amazing dream. With last night's adrenaline all worn off the younger twin couldn't believe he had actually gotten the Shadow King to go on a date with him- let alone kiss him!

"Well…"

The twin peeked up at his sempai but suddenly Tamaki held the piece of paper in the air triumphantly, having finally found it in the grass.

"Aha!"

He proudly unfolded the paper but when he saw its contents, his smile melted.

"What? It's just a food ad, Kaoru!"

The twin grinned up at his host king, trying to look innocent.

"Sorry boss, guess you're right- does that mean I have to go…?"

Tamaki returned to the blanket, huffing when he saw Kaoru had taken his seat and crossing his arms.

"Yes, it does!"

Kyoya rolled his eyes.

"Don't be so melodramatic, Tamaki, he can stay…"

Kaoru peeked at his sempai, flattered he had taken his side. Kyoya obviously hadn't dismissed last night as nothing, the twin could tell as he made some room for a disgruntled Tamaki on the picnic blanket.

"I wanted a mommy and daddy picnic…"

Tamaki grumbled, making Kaoru eye him carefully. When he had first approached the pair on the blanket it had seemed like something he shouldn't interrupt, but the twin had quickly written it off. Now it seemed as though maybe Kyoya and Tamaki really _were_ having some sort of get-together, and it made the Hitachiin wonder what was going on between the two. Things had been strange involving the Host Kings lately, with Tamaki seemingly all over Kyoya, but Kaoru had figured it was nothing when Kyoya had agreed to their date… But now here Tamaki was, having a 'mommy/daddy picnic'? Was the twin just being suspicious, or did the pair seem like more than just friends? But Kyoya wouldn't have agreed to go on a date with him if he had something going on with Tamaki, right…?

Kyoya elbowed his grumpy friend, munching on a sandwich.

"Well with Kaoru here it's a family picnic now, right? You can't object to that…"

Tamaki sighed, about to reply before Antoinette began slobbering his face again, sensing her master was downtrodden. Kaoru giggled at the sight, petting the puppy as she tackled her owner. Kyoya watched the pair with the dog, unsure what to make of this. Here he was, unsure about what to tell Tamaki when all of a sudden Kaoru shows up… Now he had both guys right in front of him, laughing and bickering together without any clue what kind of trouble they were causing him. Now that Kaoru was here, should he tell Tamaki about their date? Why did it matter if he told him anyway- What was he afraid of? Kyoya didn't know where he stood with the Host King… But now he didn't know where he stood with Kaoru either.

Seeing the twin giggling and petting Antoinette seemed to reinforce what Kyoya was thinking- the twin was sweet, seemingly more innocent than his mischievous brother but also more bold about his feelings than Tamaki. Kaoru seemed ready to be in a relationship with Kyoya, and certainly gave the company and attention the Shadow King wanted.

At the same time though… Kaoru was younger and not as close with Kyoya as Tamaki- the two Kings were almost together already so it would be less of a step to finally set things… But at this rate it would never happen, with Tamaki too easily distracted and dense about his own feelings to admit anything to Kyoya without running off after Haruhi or doing something else impulsive. It made Kyoya's head spin to try and unknot his twisted thoughts, but he knew he would need an answer soon for the two boys before him.

Finally Tamaki shook Antoinette off and caught his breath with Kaoru a moment before asking the twin

"So what're you doing here anyway, Kaoru? And without Hikaru?"

Kaoru shrugged.

"I had nothing else to do, so I thought I'd stop by I guess…"

Tamaki raised his eyebrows.

"To visit _Kyoya_?"

Kaoru shrugged again, offering no explanation, knowing Tamaki wasn't very patient so this was his best shot at escaping the truth. It was obvious Tamaki didn't know about his date with Kyoya, and that made him nervous. Why wasn't Kyoya telling him? Was there something going on between him and Tamaki? Or was the Shadow King just ashamed of Kaoru… The twin could feel a sinking in his stomach at the thought. Was that it?

As expected, Tamaki wasn't patient enough to pursue why Kaoru was visiting Kyoya and instead pointed an accusatory finger at the twin, declaring

"Well, there isn't enough food for you, so butt out! I made ham and cheese cause it's Kyoya's favorite, but I know it's not yours!"

Unknowingly, Tamaki had disappointed both teens. Kyoya was a little surprised to find that the Host King even knew Kaoru's favorite sandwich- but only for a moment. It was very in character for Tamaki to have learned the Host Club's favorite foods for no reason, and it was silly for Kyoya to have thought he was special…

Kaoru, too, was disappointed to find that there really w_as _something going on. Tamaki wanted to be alone with Kyoya, and maybe Kaoru was stupid to think he could compete with a guy who was so close with Kyoya already- Tamaki and Kyoya were best friends and seemed to know everything about each other, right down to favorite sandwiches… The twin could never compare to that, and he was feeling embarrassed for trying so naively to capture his sempai's attention…

"Okay, I'll go…"

Kaoru stood with pink cheeks, wanting to get away before he felt any more embarrassed. Both Kyoya and Tamaki seemed surprised by the shift in attitude, and the Shadow King lifted a brow up at the younger twin.

"Kaoru?"

The Hitachiin clenched his fists to try and hide how self conscious he felt, finally lifting his gaze to look Kyoya in the eye.

"I should just quit while I'm ahead, shouldn't I?"

Tamaki looked between the two in confusion, and even Kyoya seemed a little unsure what to say.

"I mean, how can I compete with your freaking best friend? You should have told me before we went out… I can tell you're embarrassed about it, now, or you would have told him about last night, right?"

Kyoya shook his head, saying sincerely

"It isn't like that, Kaoru; I was just about to tell him when you arrived…"

Tamaki was tired of everything soaring over his head.

"Tell me w_hat?_"

Kaoru knew that the club rumors about his crying were true and knew that if he didn't get out of there he'd be blubbering in front of his sempai like a big baby, so the twin quickly turned on his heel and rushed inside to leave. Kyoya sighed in exasperation, standing to pursue the twin; this was exactly what he didn't want to happen, but Kaoru hadn't given him any time to figure things out! Kyoya felt terrible for leading the twin on the way he had been led on by Tamaki. Did the Hitachiin really feel that Kyoya was embarrassed with him?

Kyoya finally discovered the twin near the doorway, obviously unsure where to go from there, knowing his driver wasn't there yet but wanting to get away quickly. When Kaoru saw the Shadow King approaching he shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wall, looking down at his feet.

"Kaoru."

The twin didn't look up from the floor.

"Kaoru, you'll only be more upset if you leave without letting me explain."

He turned his head away at this, cheeks pink.

"What's there to explain?"

Kaoru should have known better. He had tricked Kyoya into going out with him, and when his sempai found out he had simply given him a pity kiss and been a good sport about it. Kyoya was obviously with Tamaki and Kaoru was just being a dumb little kid by thinking otherwise.

Kyoya sighed.

"I am not ashamed at all by our date, and it was not my intention to embarrass you by not telling Tamaki… Things between him and I are complicated, and I wanted to work them out before bringing last night up… but he and I are not together."

Kaoru looked up at Kyoya with wide eyes before hanging his head again, gulping.

"I just… really didn't want last night to be the end of things, but then when I saw you and Tamaki today I felt like… there's no chance."

_Cute._

He knew it wasn't what he should be thinking but as he took in the sad little twin before him it was almost all Kyoya could think, being reminded once again of how different Kaoru was from Tamaki. Kyoya should have seen this coming and made more effort to prevent it- for Kaoru's sake; the twin seemed somehow too guiltless and sincere to be getting mixed up in the mess he had originally saved Kyoya from.

"As I said before, the situation between Tamaki and I is somewhat complicated right now, but… Once worked out, I agree in thinking we should get together again. I enjoyed myself last night."

Kaoru peeked up at Kyoya and, seeing those gray eyes watching him he felt his cheeks get warm again. He was getting this much attention from the Shadow King? Obviously he had been wrong in thinking he didn't have a chance; it was thrilling to hear Kyoya admit he wanted to go on another date, even if 'complications' with Tamaki stood in the way!

The twin flashed a shy smile that made Kyoya's stomach flutter before rubbing his neck sheepishly, instantly feeling bad for causing trouble.

"Sorry about this- I'm such a baby…"

Kyoya shook his head, looking sincerely upon the younger teen.

"It is entirely my fault."

Then looking over the younger's shoulder, Kyoya saw the Hitachiin driver pull up.

"Your ride is here."

"Oh?"

Kaoru peeked over his shoulder before turning back to his sempai, a newfound brightness in his goodbye smile.

"We'll talk later, okay? I've been enough trouble already, I think."

He then leaned up and pressed his lips to Kyoya's cheek- still too shy to steal the Shadow King's lips- before heading off with a wave. Kyoya was surprised by the gesture but could not object to something so sweet from someone so sweet. Something about that Hitachiin was just incredibly pleasing to Kyoya, even with his swinging temperaments and innocence that made him seem too fragile. Why did a kiss from Kaoru feel so different than a kiss from Tamaki? If the Host King had pulled that goodbye kiss Kyoya knew he wouldn't have liked it. At least, he thought he knew…

As Kyoya turned to head back outside, he knew it was time he explained himself to Tamaki- these complications had to be sorted out before Kyoya drove himself insane. Had last night's date with Kaoru been cheating? Kyoya didn't think so but the guilt beginning to bubble up in his stomach indicated his uncertainty in Tamaki's opinion. Did the Host King think they were together? _Are _they together? Kyoya was tired of these games. It was time to talk to Tamaki.

~KTKTKTK~

So, finally we're gonna get Tamaki's side in all this! How will he react when he finds out about the date? In fact, how will the rest of the Host Club react when they find out? Find out…. Eventually! Also, who do you think Kyoya should go for- Tamaki or Kaoru? I honestly don't know who I'll choose yet… Not that I don't plan these things ahead of time… (well, the secret's out… :p)


	4. Chapter 4

It's time we brought Hikaru and Tamaki into the picture! Enjoy~!

~TKTKTKTK~

When Kyoya returned to his backyard the food had been cleared away leaving only the blanket, which Tamaki sat on now, absentmindedly petting his dog as he awaited his host's return. Kyoya found it somewhat odd that the Host King had not pursued the pair into the house but knew that Tamaki had a knack for knowing when to stay out of things, a detail most wouldn't notice about the otherwise ditzy blonde. When he noticed his friend approaching Tamaki stood, giving a questioning look.

"What was that all about?"

Kyoya sighed.

"I'll tell you, but we need to talk about something else first."

Those violet eyes held only questions as Kyoya led his friend inside, wanting to have a proper sit down in the living room where it was more private. He wasn't trying to make a big deal out of this but he had already built it up too much in his head, having already spent so many nights awake and wondering what Tamaki thought of him and that kiss. The whole thing felt awkward now, and Kyoya would have avoided the conversation forever if it hadn't been for Kaoru- but now Kyoya wouldn't be able to move forward in either relationship until he got some answers.

Tamaki seemed aware that this was going to be a serious discussion and took his seat in the parlor quietly, waiting for his friend to reveal the thoughts he seemed so lost in now. Kyoya tried not to shift in his own seat, unsure how exactly to start before deciding to set an example for Tamaki and speak straightforwardly.

"Where exactly does our relationship stand, Tamaki?"

The blonde blinked in surprise- not a good sign.

"What do you mean?"

Kyoya spoke quickly, feeling frustrated already.

"Until about two weeks ago you and I were best friends, but then that day when we were cleaning the club room together you kissed me; and as far as I can tell, you immediately forgot about it because you haven't brought it up or made another move since."

Tamaki's cheeks were pink, but Kyoya was glad to see the King was not going to dance around the subject at all, replying hastily

"I've made plenty of moves, Kyoya, we've been all over each other! All those looks, the shoulder rubs, the flirting…?"

But Kyoya shook his head.

"But how is that any different than what you do for all the girls during club? Some flirting doesn't make us a couple, Tamaki, and I'm tired of waiting for you to make things clear: do you want to be together or not?"

Tamaki shifted in his seat, looking self conscious.

"I don't know…!"

Kyoya sighed, irritated by the answer.

"Well when were you going to stop and figure it out? Ever since that kiss I've been waiting for the answer but you've been leading me on all week, one minute it seems like you're asking me to dinner and the next it seems you'd rather chase after Haruhi. I'm sick of these games, Tamaki, and I think you would have let them go on forever if I hadn't said something…"

Kyoya looked down at his hands in his lap a moment, suddenly embarrassed by how open he was being. Tamaki had a way of extracting thoughts out of the Shadow King he wouldn't normally share. Kyoya only showed his true self to his best friend because Tamaki seemed too sharp to accept any other façade- it was the reason they became best friends in the first place and Kyoya had always greatly appreciated Tamaki for breaking down his walls, but it still felt strange to let his guard down. There was a reason there was a guard up in the first place, after all… by seeing the Shadow King for who he truly was, Tamaki had the ability to hurt Kyoya the most.

The blonde shook his head, sighing heavily

"I'm not trying to lead you on, Kyoya, it's just a tough decision to make- I like what we have _now_!"

Kyoya knew how the Host King felt, but he had already used up too much patience on the blonde to really sympathize.

"Perhaps this will make the decision easier for you: while you were out following Basanova and Haruhi, Kaoru and I went on a date."

Tamaki was blown away.

"_What_? You and _Kaoru_? Where did _that _come from!"

Kyoya shrugged, his cool air returning as he replied

"Kaoru asked me to dinner and I wasn't busy, so I went. It was a nicer time than I expected; In fact, we plan to get together again soon."

Seeing the look on Tamaki's face made Kyoya feel powerful again, and surprisingly guiltless: the blonde should have known better than to play games with the Shadow King.

"So that's why he was here earlier… You and _Kaoru…_"

Suddenly Tamaki stood, newly determined.

"It just won't work, Kyoya, even he knows that- isn't that why he left in a hurry? What about _me_!"

Kyoya stood as well, not appreciating his friend's self-righteous attitude and looking upon him somewhat coldly.

"What about you, Tamaki? You have no place in what goes on between Kaoru and I. Kissing me was not making a reservation, and I am not looking to be 'hosted' so drop whatever idea you had of 'us' unless you're ready to be clear about it."

The determination in Tamaki's eyes did not waver, and before he could stop it a slight flutter went through Kyoya's stomach as he saw the Host King's dedication- after being led on all week, it was satisfying to finally have Tamaki's attention.

"You and I are meant for each other, Kyoya, and I'm not going to let some silly Hitachiin come between us! I haven't forgotten how that kiss felt and I know you haven't either- you'll never be as close with him as you are with me and you know it!"

The declaration was moving and Kyoya was flattered, but he knew it was largely sentimental. Tamaki had always been all talk and no action, and this probably would be no different. Kyoya remembered how the kiss had felt, but it didn't seem to have power over him anymore. The Shadow King refused to let the blonde play with him any longer; Kaoru was like a breath of fresh air, and now that things were clear between him and Tamaki Kyoya was ready to see where things were going with the twin. And so with a neutral smile, confident that this Tamaki situation was over, Kyoya offered his friend a simple

"We'll see."

~KHKHKH~

Hikaru was waiting just inside the doorway when Kaoru finally returned home.

"_There _you are! Where have you been all day?"

The older twin exclaimed, his brother offering a sheepish smile.

"You were out late last night, so I decided not to wake you when I got up this morning… I went to Kyoya's."

Hikaru was taken aback.

"_Kyoya_'s? What the heck were you doing _there_?"

Kaoru pursed his lips.

"He's our friend, isn't he? We've visited before…"

Hikaru pulled his eyebrows together.

"Yeah I guess, but alone…? And all day!"

Kaoru looked sheepish again, rubbing his arm. Actually, he had spent most of the day _outside _of Kyoya's house, trying to muster the courage to go inside, afraid to wake up the Shadow King or somehow be bothersome or discover embarrassingly that last night had been only a dream… Thinking about his sempai's gray eyes always made Kaoru squirm and it wasn't until he saw- after hiding to avoid discovery- Tamaki arrive that Kaoru finally decided he would have to be confident if he wanted a chance at Kyoya.

Without his brother by his side Kaoru felt shy and self conscious, but he knew he had to be bold to get Kyoya's attention because the Shadow King wasn't one to coddle some timid first-year with a crush. It was hard but it was worth it, and Kaoru felt like melting every time he thought back on the kiss Kyoya had given him last night. Now that he had a taste, he couldn't be content with watching his sempai from afar any longer. But first…

"Hey Hikaru," Kaoru offered his twin a smile, taking his hand. "Let's go to our room- I have something I want to tell you!"

The older twin quirked a brow but followed his brother upstairs, sitting down beside him on their bed after closing the door.

"What's up?"

Kaoru blushed slightly, a little shy to share his secret, unsure how his brother would react. For them this was big news, last night having been the first kiss out of the two of them and also his first date. It was exciting to be broadening his horizons but Kaoru knew that of course it was always kind of scary for either of them to do something without the other; being as close as they were, it was sometimes hard to tell the difference between being independent and being apart.

"Yesterday after you left the clubroom with Tamaki, I asked Kyoya out to dinner and he said yes!"

Hikaru was startled.

"You asked out Kyoya?"

Kaoru nodded, feeling proud.

"Isn't it crazy? We went out to dinner and had a really great time~"

"It's crazy alright- since when did you like Kyoya! Why didn't you tell me?"

Kaoru frowned at his brother's tone.

"Because you never asked! I've had a crush on Kyoya for a really long time… Aren't you happy for me?"

Hikaru looked angry.

"I can't believe you just did something like that, without even telling me! I thought we told each other everything- doesn't my opinion matter anymore?"

"Of course your opinion matters, Hikaru, but at the same time I don't see why I had to consult with you over something like this- it's _my _life, you should just support me on whatever decision I make for myself."

Hikaru shook his head.

"You're my little brother, my best friend, my _twin_! We do everything together, we tell each other everything- that's the way it's always been! Why are you trying to change that?"

Kaoru huffed, getting frustrated.

"We're twins, not robots! We can't hold each other's hands through everything forever- I mean, we're in high school, Hikaru, grow up! You're making way too big a deal out of this. I like Kyoya so I asked him on a date, and we went out. Why is that such a big deal? Did you think we were never going to have relationships? Why have I been helping you go after Haruhi all this time, then?"

"That's the point, Kaoru, we've been going after Haruhi _together!_ We both agreed I should pursue her, and at least we can _trust _Haruhi!"

Kaoru narrowed his eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Hikaru crossed his arms.

"You and I both know Haruhi would never hurt me, and if she and I were ever to go out I know she wouldn't come between us. Kyoya on the other hand, is the freakin' Shadow King! He's distant, he's mean, and I definitely can't trust that he wouldn't hurt you the second there's some gain in it for him! Honestly Kaoru I think you're a terrible match!"

Kaoru was hurt.

"Kyoya wouldn't hurt me! He might not be the friendliest but he certainly isn't cold- he's very caring, and he treated me nicely last night! Why can't you just be happy for us?"

But Hikaru shook his head.

"If he's being nice, it's only because there's something in it for him- he's probably just using your crush to take advantage of you. You're still too naïve to see stuff like that, that's why you should have told me before going ahead and doing it…!"

Kaoru's cheeks became hot, and he looked angry.

"I'm not a baby, Hikaru, I can make my own decisions! I don't care what you think of Kyoya, it's none of your business anyway! I don't need you telling me who I should and should not date, as if you know any more than I do- you're just jealous that I'm more confident and independent than you!"

Hikaru stood, just as angry.

"Well fine then Mister Independent, if you think you don't need me anymore than I guess I'll just leave you alone- and you can sleep alone tonight, too!"

And with that the older twin stomped off, slamming the door behind him and leaving his younger twin alone in the room. Kaoru couldn't believe this- how could Hikaru be so cruel, to say such awful things about Kyoya instead of being happy for them? If Hikaru had been the one to ask someone out, Kaoru was sure he wouldn't have made such a fuss- it was time Hikaru realized he wasn't such a baby and could take care of himself!

And yet… Not having his twin's support on his relationship with Kyoya made Kaoru's chest ache. How was he going to make it through all these crazy feelings and experiences without his brother and his best friend? They never fought like this… It was all Kaoru's fault, and he wanted to cry. Was Hikaru really going to ignore him from now on? It made Kaoru feel like the loneliest person in the world.

~KHKHKH~

Whelp, there you have it, folks! Kyoya's feeling better than ever now that he's free from Tamaki's games, but Tamaki and Hikaru do not approve of this new relationship and it's taking a toll on Kaoru (poor baby!) Will Kyoya and Kaoru start dating or will Tamaki find a way to win Kyoya back? Find out soon, and feel free to share ideas in a review~!


	5. Chapter 5

Welp, here it is! This chapter is mostly just set up for future events, but I tried to give everyone some face time so it isn't boring. Hope you enjoy bratty Hikaru, adorable Kaoru, sexy Kyoya, curious Haruhi, amused Mori and matchmaker Hunny~!

~HMHKHTK~

The Host Club afterschool the next day was quieter than usual, a cloud of irritation seeming to gather around one couch in particular: on one end sat Hikaru, face set in a mean glare as he tapped the arm of the couch agitatedly, and on the other end sat Kaoru, trying desperately to keep up conversations with the girls surrounding them both.

"This cake is good, isn't it, ladies? I think it's different than usual- Kyoya-sempai must have switched which bakery delivers to us."

The younger twin commented lightly, gesturing to the variety of cakes on the table before them. The school girls nodded and giggled at the younger twin's cute smile, but could not continue before an angry 'tsk!' from the other end of the couch interrupted. Kaoru glanced at his twin with a frown, and some girls turned to the older boy to question

"Is something wrong, Hikaru?"

"Would you like some cake, too?"

Hikaru simply rolled his eyes, shooting a look over at the group, his reply dripping with sarcasm

"Oh no thank you, I find _Kyoya's _cake pretty d_isgusting_, actually…"

The girls looked at each other in confusion at the answer, but Kaoru could only squirm uncomfortably at his brother's comment. It had been like this all day. The night before, Kaoru had thought for sure that if he gave his twin some space he would cool off and they would be able to talk things out, but as the night got later and later with no sign of the older twin Kaoru realized that Hikaru had been serious when he had said they would be sleeping separately. It was a long, uncomfortable night for Kaoru. He felt like a baby for admitting it, but he couldn't sleep without his brother nearby- he had always been cursed with nightmares and with the added stress of this fight between them he ended up being too anxious to sleep all night.

Things were no better when they got to school. After a silent car ride, Hikaru continued to ignore his twin in every class, even switching desks when he could. At first, Kaoru was angry: why was Hikaru being so stubborn about this? Why was he being ignored for going on a date? The whole thing made no sense to him and it was embarrassing to be drawing in so much attention. The whole class seemed to be buzzing about the Hitachiin twins fighting- this was only the second time in history and as far as anyone could tell, the first time it was real.

When the comments started coming, just as Host Club had started, was when Kaoru was starting to feel less angry and more hurt. When he had arrived at music room 3 he had been very tempted to run right to Kyoya and demand his attention immediately, having not received any all day. Hikaru had been clever enough to monopolize all their common friends, especially Haruhi, keeping them constantly occupied with him so Kaoru would be left even more alone. However, Kaoru stopped himself from clinging to Kyoya, trying to show both his twin and his sempai that he was mature enough not to follow Kyoya around like a puppy. He _was _Mister Independent now, after all. And anyway, Kyoya was too busy getting the club ready for business to spare any time.

So now here he was, stuck trying to entertain a group of girls while enduring his twin's snide remarks, feeling more and more uncomfortable as the Host Club slowly seemed to drag on.

One host in particular seemed to be growing more and more concerned with the situation, finally finishing up a conversation with a group of girls before going to find some answers. She had been observing her two friends fight all day, and the mystery was really starting to eat at her- what was this all about? She knew that if anyone, Kyoya would have to have some answers. He kept tabs on everyone, and this fight especially must be on his radar, since he was now without a 'Brotherly Love' package to sell. The youngest host made her way across the floor to the Shadow King, who was now leaning against a counter towards the back of the room, consumed as always in whatever he was writing in his little black book.

"Kyoya-sempai?"

Haruhi asked after a moment of standing before him, never sure if he was paying attention to his surroundings when he wrote. The dark-haired teen glanced up before offering a polite smile.

"Haruhi. How was your date the other night?"

She blushed, surprised by the sudden question.

"Well, it wasn't a date…"

She fidgeted, but he seemed to dismiss the answer before it was even finished, returning to his black book and questioning as he wrote

"Did Kasanoda pay for your meal?"

Haruhi pursed her lips stubbornly at this, having always hated the concept.

"_No,_ I didn't let him!"

Kyoya peeked up from his book long enough to comment with an amused eyebrow raise.

"So he did try, then."

Haruhi scowled, seeing that Kyoya had already concluded her night out with Ritsu had been a date and there was nothing she could say otherwise. Seemingly undeterred by his friend's grumpiness, Kyoya continued lightly without looking up from his work

"I went on a date that night, too."

Haruhi raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Really? With who?"

Kyoya finally closed his book and looked at her, replying simply

"With Kaoru."

Haruhi was blown away. This was definitely not expected. Kyoya on a date with Kaoru? She barely ever saw them _speak _to each other!

Kyoya turned to watch the younger twin from across the room.

"So if you're here to ask, I suppose Hikaru's bratty attitude is probably because of me, though I haven't confirmed anything."

Haruhi turned to look with him at the twins, trying to let all this information sink in.

"You think this silent treatment game is because you and Kaoru went on a date?"

Kyoya adjusted his glasses, turning back to the girl.

"Could it really be anything else?"

Haruhi pursed her lips as she watched the twins on their opposite ends of the couch.

"If that's true, then it's sad. Something like that shouldn't come between brothers…"

Kyoya raised an eyebrow.

"Are you picking sides, Haruhi?"

The girl quickly put up her hands in defense, looking sheepishly up at the Shadow King from whom she could already feel an icy chill.

"I'm just going to stay out of this one- they're your problem, this time!"

Kyoya nodded, adjusting his glasses.

"Hikaru certainly brings a clever game- he's shunning his twin, but he's hitting me where it hurts too by taking away the Brotherly Love package- his bad attitude is driving away customers and the club is losing business today. However, his ploy is still only shallow at best. I can easily mend this situation."

Haruhi blinked curiously but the Shadow King had already set down his book and was on his way over to the twins' corner. He grabbed a fresh pot of tea as an excuse to approach, politely offering to refresh everyone's teacups, which they accepted with gratitude. Kaoru watched the Shadow King closely, wondering if he was finally going to catch his attention. They hadn't talked all day, and the twin was beginning to suspect that Kyoya found Hikaru's bratty attitude too much of a hassle to bother with. As Kyoya poured him his tea Kaoru stared down at his lap, working hard to keep the blush of embarrassment out of his cheeks. Hikaru wanted nothing to do with him, and now Kyoya wanted nothing to do with him, too. He was Mister Independent alright, but not by choice…

"You seem distracted, Kaoru."

The twin raised his head to see Kyoya looking right back at him, much closer than Kaoru had expected. He felt his cheeks grow pink under the sudden and full attention of his sempai's deep grey eyes, only able to stutter out a

"W-what?"

Kyoya brought a hand up to the younger twin's chin, drawing his face even closer to look more closely at Kaoru.

"And now you are blushing?"

Kyoya smirked down at the twin, his cool act now in full force.

"I hope it isn't _me _that is distracting you- we'll have plenty of time together _later, _so don't ignore your guests."

Kaoru's eyes widened and he quickly looked away, whimpering with embarrassment

"Sempai…"

But the girls hardly heard it, already squealing with delight before the 'show' was over. Kyoya was pleased to see the guests were happy once again. He may not have a Brotherly Love package, but he was just as good a host and he knew the ladies would eat up the new dynamic between him and Kaoru. And as for Hikaru…

Kyoya shot a smug look over at the older twin, who was watching the scene with a glower on his face. When their eyes met Hikaru jumped up, heading straight for the Shadow King like he might punch him but shoving past instead to storm out of the room. From the crowd of ladies surrounding him Kaoru watched his brother go, wishing he could follow. It was hard not to be angry at Hikaru for being such a brat, but he knew deep down the older twin must be doing it out of his love for his brother. This was like growing pains, and Kaoru knew that even though he hadn't done anything wrong, he was going to have to be the one to bring an end to this silly fight.

But for now, let Hikaru sulk. Kaoru was just delighted to have been saved by his sempai- he had Kyoya's attention after all! With his brother gone Kaoru was able to finish up club activities without feeling attacked, and now he was itching for the day to end, but for an entirely different reason. What did Kyoya mean when he said they would have time together 'later'? Would they be getting together again? Was it possible that Kyoya really wanted to be an item? It had been the most miserable day, but things finally seemed to be taking a turn for the better.

~HTHTHTHT~

Hikaru smacked his cell phone closed forcefully, shoving it back into his pocket and angrily slumping down onto a nearby bench. All he wanted to do was get out of here, away from all this craziness, but he had to wait for his ride. He lifted his head to look back up the path, hoping no one had pursued him. Surprising, no one had.

'_Guess Kaoru really doesn't need me after all…'_

Hikaru shoved his fists deep in his pockets, kicking a stone away from the bench.

This whole situation just made him angry. Since when had his brother ever been interested in Kyoya? He said he had been crushing for a while, but he never had mentioned it before- and they were supposed to tell each other everything! When he finally came to terms with it, _he _had opened up to Kaoru about his crush on Haruhi, and now they were working together to try and get him closer to her. Why had Kaoru not done the same? Maybe if his younger brother had been more open, things would have been different.

Hikaru shifted in his seat.

'_Then again, maybe not.'_

He didn't like the idea of Kyoya. A guy with 'Shadow King' for a nickname just didn't seem right for his little brother. Kyoya only ever did things to benefit himself, and it made Hikaru nervous that Kaoru was on his radar now. Hadn't Kyoya and Tamaki been all over each other this past week? What had happened to that? It just didn't seem like coincidence that Kaoru would snag a date with the Shadow King the very same week that he was acting suspiciously close to Tamaki. Hikaru suspected his brother's crush was being taken advantage of- maybe Kyoya was using Kaoru to get Tamaki's attention, or cover up his relationship with Tamaki. There were many possibilities, but none of them seemed good.

Kaoru thought he could be totally independent, but unlike Hikaru he always saw the best in people and that made him extra vulnerable to the Shadow King's games. Hikaru wanted to protect his twin from people like Kyoya, but how could he if Kaoru decided to d_ate _them? Kaoru was being ridiculous for not listening to him. Didn't he understand Hikaru just wanted to protect him? The best thing about Kaoru was his innocence and his dedication to a person, and Hikaru never wanted to lose that. But it seemed like he already was.

"Hikaru!"

The twin's head shot up.

"Kaoru?"

But it was not his twin approaching, and Hikaru sighed. He had been replaced. With Kyoya now, Kaoru didn't need to go running after his twin. Nobody did… So why had Tamaki?

"What do you want?"

Hikaru snapped, crossing his arms as he looked over the winded blonde. Tamaki took a moment to catch his breath from running, before stating

"Hikaru, we need to talk."

Hikaru furrowed his brow, confused as to where Tamaki fit into any of this. Was he mad Hikaru had left the club?

But the blonde certainly did not mad now as he flashed a proud smile, declaring

"I know you're upset about losing Kaoru, and I want you to know that I'm upset too over losing Kyoya. That is why you and I have to work together to separate them again."

Hikaru blinked in surprise. So he was right about suspecting Tamaki and Kyoya!

Seeing he had caught the twin's interest, Tamaki continued

"Kyoya is only dating your brother because he is mad at me. He wanted to be with me but I never made a move, so he settled for your brother. I know if I could get Kyoya's attention again, he would certainly choose me over Kaoru. It might be hard on Kaoru, but we're only helping him by keeping him from Kyoya- if he was meant to be with Kyoya, we would be calling _him _daddy! Now, this plan is only going to work if I have you on board. So are you with me?"

Tamaki offered the twin his hand and after a moment's hesitation, Hikaru stood and took it.

"Fine."

It felt a little dirty to be scheming against his brother, but if what Tamaki had said was true then it really was for the best that he get Kaoru away from Kyoya. He loved his twin too much to let him get tangled up in the Shadow King's games.

~HMHMHM~

"It looks like it might be getting stormy again, Takashi."

Hunny clutched his bunny close as he stared out the tall club room window, but his large blue eyes rested upon the two hosts in the courtyard shaking hands rather than at the clouds above.

"Yeah."

The tall host agreed as he followed the boy's gaze, watching the pair a moment before drawing the curtains shut. Club activities were over and the pair were tidying up before they left. Hunny looked up at his companion with a little frown, questioning

"What will this mean for our friends?"

Mori patted the blonde, replying

"Even storm clouds have a silver lining, mitskuni. Turmoil is what makes a relationship stronger- or what ends a relationship that isn't meant to be."

Hunny nodded, offering a reassured smile.

"You're right, they'll be okay even if things get bad."

He wrapped his arms around the taller host with a giggle, continuing as he hugged his counterpart

"But we never have storm clouds, huh Takashi~"

The dark haired teen chuckled, scooping the blonde up and replacing him on his shoulders.

"Let's get going."

Hunny tapped Mori's head to draw his attention to the other couple leaving the club room, a certain red head offering nervously to carry a certain brunette's books for her as the pair made their way out into the hall together. Hunny giggled happily to see Haruhi departing once again with Basanoda. Whether she thought so or not there was definitely something there, and the low-drama relationship was perfect for both of them- something certain other hosts should take note on. Hunny loved to see that his friends were beginning to realize their feelings and act on them (and personally he was a big fan of Kaoru and Kyoya as a couple, although surprisingly Takashi seemed to lean more towards Tamaki and Kyoya as the better match) but he certainly would be saddened if the great friendships all the hosts had with each other were hurt by some silly dating stuff.

Still though, things seemed to be dialing down. As he and Mori grabbed their things Hunny caught snippets of Kyoya and Kaoru's conversation, noting that Kyoya _had_ invited Kaoru over after all. Even with Hikaru's meddling Kyoya still seemed interested in Kaoru and it thrilled Hunny, who was beginning to become a real fan of the pair. He had seen the way Tamaki was hurting Kyoya before and was happy that the Shadow King had taken a chance with the twin who so obviously had a crush on him instead. Vaguely, watching his friend's relationships like this made Hunny wonder if any of them watched he and Mori, too. He laughed at the thought.

Mori raised a brow up at the blonde on his shoulders, as they made their way down to the courtyard.

"What's so funny?"

Hunny grinned.

"Do you think any of our friends want us to be together the way we want Haruhi and Basanoda or Kyoya and Kaoru to be together?"

Mori shook his head.

"I still would rather Kyoya and Tamaki."

Hunny laughed again, finding the whole conversation ridiculous.

"You're just silly, Takashi- it's not our decision anyway!"

Mori just chuckled.

~HMHMHM~

There you have it, folks! Hope you enjoyed Hunny and Mori wrapping things up for us- they're fangirls just like us! :p The next chapter is going to be a lot more Kaoru and Kyoya cuteness, plus we'll begin to see Tamaki's master plan unfold. Hope you're looking forward to it, review until then~!


	6. Chapter 6

A super speedy update! (This may never happen again, sorry folks…) This chapter is a fluffy one, not a huge plot point- I just thought I would remind everyone why we love Kyoya and Kaoru so much. I guess this is like the calm before the storm~? So please enjoy this adorable little chapter, and send a review if you think Kaoru is cute or Kyoya is a sexy beast!

Ps. I've gotten a lot of reviews from people who don't like Haruhi and Ritsu as a couple, so I guess I'm sorry? Personally I think they're sweet and a very relaxed, drama-free couple and I mostly just put them in the story for my own enjoyment since it isn't really about them at all and they carry no plot sooo… If you don't like them that's fine, they're barely mentioned anyway so it won't be much of a bother, I hope.

~KKKKKKK~

The room was silent but not uncomfortably so, the slight scratching of pencils on paper and the rustling of pages being the only noise to tickle Kyoya's ear as he studied. Evening had fallen but it would be impossible to tell, his bedroom blinds ever shut and bright, almost florescent lights giving the room an almost sterile feel instead. Kyoya sat cross-legged at his desk table, books and notebooks spread out across the surface as he continued to work. He let himself enjoy the silence a moment before realizing that this was unusual for his guest. Instantly Kyoya's eyes flicked up from his work and onto the first-year across from him.

Kaoru was leaned over his notebook, pencil moving rapidly across the page and hesitating only for moments while he perused his textbook. Kyoya found the sight interesting, and continued to discreetly observe his companion. It was not often that he got to see either of the twins so invested in something. Both had a short attention span and rarely focused on something for very long, and the Shadow King never could imagine them taking the time to sit down and do their homework. He knew they received good marks- almost the best in class, although they knew better than to surpass Haruhi- but somehow school work and Hitachiins still didn't seem to add up in his head…

So seeing Kaoru this studious- with his honey colored eyes wide and bright as they flicked between his notes and the text, or the fringe of hair that fell in his face when he leaned forward to write, or his pale pink lips pursed thoughtfully as he focused on what he was reading… Kyoya was mesmerized by the younger twin, unable to keep himself from staring at him while he worked.

Then suddenly, Kaoru lowered his head down onto his notebook, slowly sliding off the table and slumping onto the floor with a groan. Kyoya was taken aback.

"Kaoru?!"

A stream of whining came from beneath the table

"I'm trying so hard to sit still and do my studies and keep quiet and not bother you but it's really hard to do it all at once like this without any talking at all…! I don't want you to make fun of me but usually I only work a half hour at a time…!"

Kyoya suddenly laughed, too amused by the much-more-in-character whiny drama taking place. He should have known Kaoru was trying to put on an impressive act for his sempai- he may be more mature than his brother, but he was still a Hitachiin.

"That is an incredibly inefficient method of studying."

Kyoya scolded with a grin, although the twin could not see it as he groaned again from his position on the floor.

"I knew you would say that…"

Kaoru rolled onto his back and stretched out, staring up at the ceiling with a sigh. His cover had been blown but he had made Kyoya laugh, so maybe it had been worth it. This whole situation- he wouldn't call it _stressful_ exactly, but he _was _extremely aware of the fact that he was in Kyoya Ootori's room, doing homework with Kyoya Ootori, laying on Kyoya Ootori's floor and making Kyoya Ootori laugh. Kaoru wished that his crush on Kyoya would go away, now that he actually seemed to be involved with the Shadow King. But he found himself more mesmerized by Kyoya than ever, and everything about their relationship felt like a dream.

Kyoya leaned over the table to peer down at his guest, seeming to take pity on the twin who was trying so hard to please him.

"I appreciate your effort, but we don't have to sit in complete silence, you know…"

Kaoru blushed as he stared up at the older boy above him, leaned close enough that his tie fell down to brush the twin's chest.

"Really?"

Kyoya leaned back to his seat and Kaoru sat up again, lips pursed as if unsure of himself now that he was no longer acting. Kyoya adjusted his glasses before gesturing to the twin's notebook, starting a conversation he hoped was easy enough to console the obviously nervous Hitachiin.

"What are you working on right now?"

Kaoru shifted in his seat, replying grumpily

"Algebra…"

He obviously was not a fan of the subject, continuing to grumble

"Usually Hikaru helps me with it…"

"I could help you, if you like."

Kyoya offered, crossing over and grabbing the text book before the twin could reply.

"Algebra isn't so difficult, it is all just knowing which formula to use…"

Kaoru pursed his lips in a slight pout.

"I know, but sometimes I use the formula and it still doesn't work out right- I think all these calculations are wrong…"

Kyoya sat down beside the twin, honestly wanting to help if he could, thinking it might make Kaoru feel more at ease. He took the pencil and together they leaned over Kaoru's notebook.

"Well, your formula is right and I see that you can execute it correctly, these first two problems you worked out fine…"

Kaoru's eyes were flicking between his work and his sempai, their heads practically touching as they leaned over his notebook. Kyoya was actually taking the time to help him with something as stupid as math, and this along with the Shadow King's proximity were really starting to fluster the younger twin.

"Ah, but I can see here that further down the page you began to make little mistakes. You kept the formula, but you began to forget steps like squaring both sides of the equation here or distribute fully here. You must make sure you execute every step of a formula or even the smallest of mistakes will give you an incorrect result."

Kyoya lifted his head to see if the twin had followed him, who quickly looked away and flushed pink.

"Thanks…"

Kyoya took in the twin's discomfort with a slight frown, inquiring

"Is something wrong?"

"I'm embarrassed…"

Kaoru admittedly softly before suddenly lifting his head to look Kyoya straight in the eye and blurting out

"I don't want you to think I'm stupid…!"

The Shadow King observed the embarrassed blush on the younger twin's cheeks, shaking his head.

"I would never think you're stupid, Kaoru…"

The twin peeked up at his sempai with a small pout, obviously still unconvinced, and despite the situation when Kyoya saw the uncertain expression all he could think was _'cute.'_ To have so much power over Kaoru, to make him blush and pout- Kyoya found it invigorating, but he also was beginning to find that the twin had a power over him too. Every purse of his lips or wide eyed expression, every flush in his cheeks or grin had Kyoya wanting more despite the strange fluttering in his stomach.

Suddenly Kyoya found himself leaning forward and capturing those pouty pink lips with his own, the wide eyed reaction of the twin only making Kyoya want to kiss him more. They had kissed before, after their date, but this was different- deeper, with much more feeling. This time Kyoya was fully aware of how close their bodies were, Kaoru's hand on his sempai's leg as if to keep himself steady and Kyoya's hand pressing to the back of Kaoru's neck. He was fully aware of his own heartbeat pounding in his ears as he deepened the kiss, suddenly wanting more, wanting everything- being with Kaoru like this made him feel things he never had before, his stomach doing somersaults in a way he had never experienced.

But suddenly Kaoru whimpered slightly into the kiss and Kyoya quickly pulled away, disappointed but not surprised it hadn't lasted longer. They blinked into each other's eyes, out of breath, Kaoru's cheeks a shade of red.

"_That_ was sudden!"

Kaoru exclaimed, completely surprised but not at all disappointed by Kyoya's kiss. It was nothing like the first time they had kissed- this was much more heated, and somehow it left him feeling flustered but also less uptight, as if all the tension between them had been let out. He certainly was doing _something_ right- first the laugh, then the help, then the kiss!

Kyoya adjusted his glasses, commenting

"It was only because I couldn't stand to have you pouting all evening…"

Already the cool, calm Kyoya was back but it could only make Kaoru smile, because he was beginning to realize that Kyoya must have some feelings for him- maybe he even got flustered inside the way Kaoru always was! This evening was becoming one of the best ever, in Kaoru's opinion- a relief after such a long, awful day. Being with Kyoya like this helped remind him that it was worth the grief he was getting from his brother. Hikaru would come around eventually, and then he'd really have the best of both worlds. This attention from Kyoya was like a dream come true and Kaoru wanted to share it all with his twin- he couldn't believe that Hikaru was giving him so much trouble, even after all he had done to try and get his brother and Haruhi together…

Kyoya checked his watch and stood, continuing

"I'm sure dinner is prepared by now, so let's go eat. Perhaps we can finish this later…"

Kyoya smirked in the ambiguity of the word '_this'_ as he offered a hand down to Kaoru, who blushed at this before taking his hand and allowing himself to be pulled up. Things would have to be worked out with Hikaru soon, but for now Kaoru was going to allow himself to enjoy what he had with Kyoya. He had been crushing for so long and now all his fantasies were coming true, Kyoya finally giving him all the attention he could ever want and more.

As they headed down to dinner Kaoru flashed a smile up at his sempai, who quirked a brow in response.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," the twin replied with a little laugh, "I guess I'm just really happy!"

~KKKKKKK~

Isnt Kaoru just the cutest little thing you ever did see~? xD I love him so much, I just wanna pinch his cheeks. Well I hope you enjoyed this mostly pointless but totally adorable fluff chapter. Things are so good for KyoKao- too bad Tamaki and Hikaru are out to get them… :p Stormy weather ahead- but maybe our upperclassmen fanboys will be able to provide some umbrellas! As always, please review and let me know what you think!


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